Doll swings



D. SAINT DOLL SWINGS Jan. 1, 1963 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed June 18, 1958 INVENTOR fla rakZ Jam/7f K 9 ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1963 D. SAINT DOLL SWINGS Filed Ju ne 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 3,071,339 DOLL SWHNG David Saint, Rockledge, Pa, assignor to Graeo Metal Products, inn, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Fiied .lune 13, 1.958, Ser. No. 742,853 4 Claims. (6!. 248-165) This invention relates to doll swings, and more particularly to doll swings having a driving motor therefor.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a doll swing which can be relatively inexpensively constructed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll swing having a motor actuation which is reliable in operation and free from likelihood of failure in use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll swing having supporting legs which can be readily assembled and disassembled for shipping and storage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll swing having a simple but effective leg mounting structure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll swing having a simple escapement of improved type and which requires only a single positioning spring.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll swing having an escapement with an improved character of ratchet mounting.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved escapement which is useful for the operation of doll swings and other devices.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FEGURE l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a doll swing in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the doll swing shown in FIG. 1;

PEG. 3 is a side elevational view of the doll swing as seen from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the legs swung to a position for storage;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view, enlarged, taken at the left hand end of the canopy as seen in FIG. 1 and with parts broken away to show the interior construction;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken approximately on the line 6-6 of PEG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately on the line 99 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 1010 of FIG. 4.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a swing frame is provided which includes a canopy 11 of 3,7l,339 Patented Jan. 1, 1953 sheet metal having outer end closure plates 12 of sheet metal secured thereto, as hereinafter explained. The canopy 11 has a horizontal top wall 13 and integral inclined front and rear walls 14 and 15.

Spaced inwardly from the end closure plates 12, bracket plates 16 and 17 of sheet metal are provided, the bracket plates 16 and 17, the end closure plates 12, and the canopy 11 being secured in assembled relation by fasteners, such as rivets 18, extending therethrough.

The end closure plates 12, at the upper portions of their end faces, have struck in ribs 20. The ribs 24) have enlargements 21 at their inner termini made deeper than the ribs 20 to provide stops.

The bracket plates 16 and 17, at their lower portions, have resilient detents 19 for leg retention and also have a horizontal tongue 22 which serves as a positioning spacer and extends to the interior faces of the end closure plates 12. The tongue 22 has front and rear openings or recesses 23. The bracket plates 16 and 17 at the top and in facing relation to the ribs 20 have a horizontal struck out rib 24. 4

Legs 25, preferably consisting of metal rods, are provided and are removably inserted through the openings 23 in engagement with the interior corners of the end closure plates 12, and between the ribs 2t and the ribs 24, and are held by frictional engagement therewith and by their engagement with the detents 19. The legs 25 have a pivotal movement for reducing the space occupied thereby for shipping and storage as limited by the detents 19 and as limited by the enlargements 21 and the front and rear edges of the tongue 22. The lower ends of the legs 25 are preferably provided with tips 26 of rubber or the like, which prevent scratching of the surfaces on which the canopy 11 is supported by the legs 25.

A spring mandrel 30 is provided, preferably made of wood, and having a pin 31 in engagement with one end thereof. The pin is journalled in an opening 32 in the bracket plate 16. The other end of the spring mandrel 30 has the shank 33 of a winding key 34 extending thereinto and in engagement therewith, the shank 33 being supported in an opening 35 in the bracket plate 117, and extending outwardly through an opening 36 in the contiguous end closure plate 12, with an enlarged end for turning.

A swingable carriage dd is provided supported on the pin 31 and on the shank 1-53 of the key 34. The carriage 40 has a horizontal bottom wall portion 41 and upstanding front and rear wall portions 42, outwardly offset to reduce the free space between the outer faces thereof and the interior of the canopy walls 14 and 15 so as to reduce the likelihood of pinching the fingers of the user at these locations.

The carriage so has mounted thereon a pair of relatively rigid seat actuating pusher arms 43, having inclined arm portions 44 to which a doll swing seat 45 is pivotally connected at their lower ends. At the front ends of the pusher arms 43, chains 46 are in engagement therewith and extend downwardly and in supporting relation to side wall portions of the doll seat as.

The mandrel 34), at one end thereof, is provided with a portion 46 of reduced diameter on which a cup shaped toothed ratchet wheel 4'7 is mounted for rotation with the mandrel 30. The mandrel 30 has one end of a helical power spring 48 secured thereto, the other end of the power spring 48 having a hooked portion 49 engaging the bottom wall portion 41 of the carriage 4t) and positioned by a tongue 59 on an inbent portion of one end wall of the carriage.

The spring 48 has a number of turns, as at 48a, at

the end opposite the ratchet wheel 47, of smaller diameter than the remainder of the spring to serve as slip or release turns to prevent excessive pull on the hook portion 49 upon movement of the carriage 4% All the turns of the spring 43 are of larger diameter, in unwound condition, than the exterior diameter of the mandrel so.

The carriage o'is provided with tongues 51 having end portions for pivotally mounting a pawl 52. The pawl 52 has side portions 53, joined by a central portion 54 having an inner edge 55 which is adapted for ratchet tooth engagement. The central portion 54 is bent at an angle with respect to the side portions 53 to permit the teeth of the ratchet wheel 47 to move the pawl 52 outwardly, upon movement of the ratchet wheel 47 in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 6. in the inward position of the pawl 52 the edge 55 engages at the root of one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 47. One side portion of the pawl 52 has a spring receiving hook 56 formed thereon.

The bracket plate 16 has a downwardly extending inner end portion 58 provided with an opening 59 aligned with an opening 60 above the rib 24 for engagement by opposite pivot portions 61 of a safety dog 62. The dog 62 has a fiat tongue portion 63 for engagement against one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 47 and a control portion 64 extending interiorly of the ratchet wheel 47 and adapted to urge the tongue portion 63 into tooth engagement upon faster than normal movement of the ratchet wheel 47 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 6, and when struck by one of the ratchet teeth. The dog 62 is provided at one side thereof with a spring receiving hook 65.

A spring 66 is provided, preferably formed as a helical spring and with a plurality of turns 66:! for engagement over the hook 56 of the pawl 52, a plurality of turns 66b for engagement over the hook 65 of the dog 62, and an intermediate portion 660 having a plurality of turns, acting in tension and compression. The spring 66 in compression urges the tongue portion 63 of the dog 62 into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 47 and the central portion 54 of the pawl 52 out of tooth engagement. In tension, the spring 66 urges the pawl 52 into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 47 and at the same time urges the tongue portion 63 of the dog 62 out of tooth engagement.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

The power spring 43 is wound onto the mandrel 30 by turning the winding key 34. The power spring is effective for imparting a turning force onto the mandrel 30 to actuate the carriage 40. A swinging movement of the carriage 49 is effected by reason of the escapement provided by the pawl 52 and dog 62.

Assuming first that the carriage 46 is in the position shown in FIG. 6 and is moving in a clockwise direction, the edge portion 55 of the pawl 52 is in engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 47 and the tongue portion 63 of the dog 62 is raised from engagement by the tension of the spring 66 on the spring receiving book 65 which is located below the pivotal axis of the pivot portion 61 of the dog 62. The clockwise movement of the carriage 40 causes the ratchet wheel 47 to move in the same direction, the tooth of the ratchet wheel 47 passing beneath the disengaged tongue portion 63 of the dog 62.

Upon reaching the lowest point of its clockwise travel the carriage 40 and ratchet wheel 47 will now move in a counterclockwise direction. As the carriage 49 travels just beyond the midportion of its travel in this direction, the spring 66 changes from a condition of tension to a condition of compression. The spring 66, in compression, urges the tongue portion 63 of the dog 62 into engagement wiht the ratchet wheel 47. The tongue por tion 63 of the dog 62 engages the tooth immediately to the right of the tooth it had previously engaged. This is accomplished by the spring 66 in compression pushing the spring receiving hook 65 which is offset to the left of the pivotal mounting of the portion 61 of the dog 62, as shown in FIG. 6.

As the carriage 4t) continues to travel in a counter clockwise direction, the load of the power spring 43 is transferred from the pawl 52 to the dog 62. The pawl 52, no longer holding the load of the power spring 48, is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 47 by the spring 66 in compression pushing the spring receiving hook 56.

Upon reaching its highest point of its counterclockwise travel the carriage 40 will now move in a clockwise direction. As the carriage 40 travels just beyond the mid portion of its travel the spring 66 changes from compression to tension. The spring 66 in tension pulls the pawl 52 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 57 and into engagement with the tooth immediately to the right of the one previously engaged.

The cycle is then repeated.

it will be noted that the spring 66 tends to pull the dog 62 out of engagement and the pawl 52 into engageent and tends to push the dog 62 into engagement and the pawl 52 out of engagement.

The spring 66 has the characteristic of imparting motion without changing its length so long as the force required for movement is less than the initial force of the spring. The spring 66 is capable of moving the ratchet members 52 and 62 in either direction without the necessity of first stretching or compressing in order to build up the required force for such movement.

The spring 66 thus tends to act as a solid link reducing the lost motion required to build up forces in opposite directions in a normally resilient member in moving the ratchet members 52 and 62 in either direction and will stretch or compress for the period of over travel of the carriage 40.

It will be noted that the spring 66 acts in compression for insuring that the tongue portion 63 of the dog 62 engages and that counterclockwise movement of the ratchet wheel 47, as seen in FIG. 6, and subsequent oscillation of the carriage 40 causes the dog 62 to be alternately engaged and disengaged and the pawl 52 to be alternately disengaged and engaged.

Oscillation of the carriage 40 is, of course, effective through the pusher arms 43, arm portions 44 and the chains 46 for oscillating the doll swing seat 45.

During movement of the seat 45, the feet 26 on the legs 25 prevent creeping movement and also marring of the surface on which the doll swing is supported. It will also be noted that the legs 25 can be readily removed, the chains 46 readily unhooked and the arms 43 removed, so that the swing can be packed in a relatively small space for storage and for shipping.

I claim:

1. A doll swing comprising a canopy having a top and front and rear wall portions, end closures for said canopy, bracket plates in spaced relation inwardly with respect to said end closures, said end closures and said bracket plates having facing ribs formed thereon, supporting legs having upwardly extending upper terminal end portions in the space between said bracket plates and said end closures and in frictional gripping engagement with said ribs, said legs extending downwardly from said canopy in downwardly diverging supporting relation, the lower ends of said legs being swingable from supporting position to collapsed positions in said frictionally gripped engagement, and a doll seat pivotally supported in said canopy.

2. A doll swing as defined in claim 1 in which said bracket plates have detents for holding said legs in supporting positions.

3. A doll swing comprising a canopy having top and front and rear wall portions, end closure members at opposite ends of said canopy, bracket plate members in spaced relation inwardly with respect to said end closure members, one of said spaced members having a transversely extending rib projecting towards the other of said members, the other of said spaced members having pairs of ribs projecting towards said one of said spaced members with terminal stop projections at contiguous ends thereof, supporting legs extending downwardly from said canopy and having upwardly extending upper terminal ends, said upper ends of said legs being removably inserted between and frictionally gripped between facing ribs and swingable from diverging supporting positions to collapsed positions in engagement with said terminal stop projections, and a doll seat pivotaiiy supported in said canopy.

4. A doll swing comprising a canopy having top and front and rear wall portions, end closure members at opposite ends of said canopy, bracket plate members in spaced relation inwardly with respect to said end closure members, said bracket plate members each having a transversely extending rib projecting towards said end closure members, said end closure members each having a pair of ribs projecting towards said bracket plate members with terminal stop projections at contiguous ends thereof, supporting legs extending downwardly from said canopy and having upwardly extending upper terminal ends, said upper ends or" said legs being removably inserted between and frictionally gripped between said facing ribs and swingable from diverging supporting positions to collapsed positions in engagement with said terminal stop projections, and a doll seat pivotaily supported in said canopy.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,294,223 Castelli Aug. 25, 1942 2,564,547 Schrougham Aug. 14, 1951 2,578,639 Bedford Dec. 11, 1951 2,591,260 Hobbs Apr. 1, 1952 2,603,272 Rowand July 15, 1952 2,618,788 Cole et a1 Nov. 25, 1952 2,672,216 Gokey Mar. 16, 1954 2,789,631 Vosbikian et al. Apr. 23, 1957 2,800,171 Hoven et al. July 23, 1957 2,807,309 Saint et al Sept. 24, 1957 

1. A DOLL SWING COMPRISING A CANOPY HAVING A TOP AND FRONT AND REAR WALL PORTIONS, END CLOSURES FOR SAID CANOPY, BRACKET PLATES IN SPACED RELATION INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID END CLOSURES, SAID END CLOSURES AND SAID BRACKET PLATES HAVING FACING RIBS FORMED THEREON, SUPPORTING LEGS HAVING UPWARDLY EXTENDING UPPER TERMINAL END PORTIONS IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID BRACKET PLATES AND SAID END CLOSURES AND IN FRICTIONAL GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RIBS, SAID LEGS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID CANOPY IN DOWNWARDLY DIVERGING SUPPORTING RELATION, THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID LEGS BEING SWINGABLE FROM SUPPORTING POSITION TO COLLAPSED POSITIONS IN SAID FRICTIONALLY GRIPPED ENGAGEMENT, AND A DOLL SEAT PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED IN SAID CANOPY. 